


Calm before the Storm

by Slaskia



Series: Wreckers and Sirens [7]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Before The Storm, Gen, Philosophy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-31 11:44:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15118703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slaskia/pseuds/Slaskia
Summary: Wheeljack and Ebonscream have a philosophical debate.





	Calm before the Storm

It was a busy time at the camp. 

The supply shipment had arrived and everyone was pitching in to unload, verify contents and distribute them. 

Well, almost everyone. 

There was of course those out on patrol or lookout that were exempted of course.  However, one bot that _wasn’t_ so was Ebonscream.  Wheeljack had noticed he had been rather quiet and scarce as of late.  No one seemed to be bothered by it, he noticed. 

“I thought Ebony would be here helpin’ out,” he commented as the last of the crates were unloaded. 

“Bah, he’s in a brooding mood,” Kup muttered.  “He does that he gets like that: ‘need time to think’ he would say.” 

Wheeljack raised an optic ridge. “Think about what?” 

“Pfft…who knows.  That bot’s a thinker,” Kup replied with a shrug.  “Ponders all kind of things…from how he wants to train the new recruits, to battle tactics, the meaning of life…and coming up with new snarky comments for all of us.”  After a pause he added.  “That last one is _mostly_ ’ speculation.” 

He chortled a laugh.  “I actually wouldn’t be surprised, to be honest.” 

Kup chuckled a bit.  “Do me a favor, kid.  Go find that slippery slagger and let him know the supplies came in.  I think I saw him go out the west entrance.” 

“Alright, hopefully he didn’t wander too far,” Wheeljack commented as he brushed off his hands and headed in that direction. 

Ebonscream fortunately hadn’t gone far.  The dark colored bot was on top of a large rock at the lookout point, leaning back on his arms..  No sign of the lookouts:  guess he told them he’ll cover for them. 

“Hey Ebs,” Wheeljack called to him as he joined him on the rock.  “Kup wanted me to let ya know the latest shipment has been unloaded and secured.” 

The dark colored bot simply nodded, a faraway look on his face.  Kup wasn’t kidding when he said he got into heavy thinking moods.  From the expression, Wheeljack got the feeling something was bothering him. 

“What’s wrong?”  he asked. 

“Much death will likely come and I don’t like it,” Ebonscream stated simply. 

Wheeljack blinked at him in confusion.  Then he recalled what he said at the meeting after their narrow escape from the Sirens a few cycles ago.  “Oh right…you don’t like to kill,” Wheeljack commented.  After scratching his chin for a moment, he added.  “Ya know, that nags at me a bit.” 

“Why so?”  Ebonscream was looking at him, his expression curious. 

“Because it kind of goes against what we do, doesn’t it?” 

“No, it doesn’t,” Ebonscream replied, his tone slightly flat as he looked back at the horizon.  “More often than not, ya don’t need ta end a life ta protect others.” 

“No…but it ensures that they are no longer a threat.” 

“A threat taday will not necessarily be a threat tamorrow, Jackie.”  Ebonscream sat up and leaned forward.  “Everyone has the ability ta change, ta make themselves a better bot.  They just have ta want ta do it.” 

“I don’t think these Sirens would be willin’ to change,” Wheeljack muttered, folding his arms. 

“Ya don’t know that.  After all, ya knew two that didn’t like how things were.” 

Wheeljack twitched at that, memories of Silky starting to come up.  He forced them back down again before the grief overwhelmed him.  “Alright, you have a point there.” 

Ebonscream chuckled lightly before turning serious.  “I do admit…I do admire their reluctance ta kill, even if their motives are different.” 

He felt his plates bristle a bit.  “Yeah, but they have loop holes around that if they really want to send someone to the AllSpark,” he growled.  “Like what Stormburst did to Silky.” 

“Yes…that is true,” Ebonscream admitted.  “I do hope it is only the more twisted individuals like Stormburst that would exploit it.  Still…that one does is bad enough.” 

“Why are you so against killing anyway?”  Wheeljack asked. “Makes ya sound pacifist, when I know you’re not.” 

“Because we are all from the same source, Jackie,” Ebonscream confided softly.  “All from the AllSpark.  When we take a life, I can’t help but feel we are killin’ a part of ourselves in the process.  That we lose a part of ourselves.  That is why I try ta avoid it, unless I have no other choice.” 

Wheeljack blinked at him, uncertain how to process that.  “I’ve killed a number of bots, but it was always in defense of myself or others,” he admitted.  “But I don’t feel I ‘lost’ anything in doing so.” 

“I believe ya don’t lose as much when the loss of life is not done out of malice or hatred,” Ebonscream explained.  “But ya still lose somethin’.  Just not as noticeable.” 

“What exactly is lost then?” 

“Empathy.” Ebonscream stated bluntly.  “The ability ta see the value in life itself.  Bots like Stormburst clearly have none:  they don’t see individuals, only objects…pawns ta use as they see fit.” 

“Considering what they put me through…I don’t think many Sirens have that to begin with,” Wheeljack muttered darkly.  “Ya can’t have a lot of empathy if you practice torture….” 

“There are always other sides ya can’t see,” Ebonscream countered, shrugging slightly.  “Many of them could be decent bots that just live their lives day by day, not understandin’ how wrong their methods are.” 

Wheeljack snorted.  “I find that hard to believe.” 

Ebonscream was giving him a sideways glance.  “Did ya not meet someone like that durin’ your time there?”  Didn’t ya tell us that Silky had lived there since they were a sparklin’?” 

He jerked forward when he got what Ebonscream meant.  Silky did indeed tell him that.  It made sense that the Sirens wouldn’t put sparklings through the same treatment as adults.  Those raised as sparklings wouldn’t know any better as it was all they _did_ know. 

“Yet Silky may be an exception,” Ebonscream pointed out.  “Ya were able ta get through ta them due ta their recent loss…and ya had time ta work on them.  Others raised like them, are more likely ta be _solid_ in their beliefs…and in the conflicts ta come, we won’t have the luxury of time ta have philosophical debates with them.  No…the ones we are more likely ta get ta change are the ones they converted.” 

“Like what they tried to do me…did do to Gravelgrind and her bondmate.” Wheeljack muttered. 

“Precisely.” 

“Thin’ is, I don’t think even the converted ones would be willin’ to abandon them,” Wheeljack warned. “I got the impression many of them are too afraid to even try.” 

“But ya escaped,” Ebonscream reminded him.  “Those that desire it and hadn’t lost all hope yet, will see that it is not impossible.  We just need ta give them the opportunity.” 

“I suppose you’re right.”  Wheeljack however, had his doubts.  Fear could be a powerful de-motivator, as he saw in both Silky and Gravelgrind. 

“Hmmm….”  Ebonscream was leaning far forward, his optics narrowed. 

“What is it?”  Wheeljack asked, squinting himself attempting to see what sees. 

“Eclipse and Ricochet should have been back by now,” the senior Wrecker stated grimly. 

“Could they have come in at the other entrance?”  Wheeljack was hoping that was the case. 

“No…they were instructed ta return ta this gate.” 

“Trouble then….”  Wheeljack had a sinking feeling in his tank as he rose to his feet, Ebonscream doing so with him.  They both stood there for a couple of kliks scanning the horizon. 

“There…,” Ebonscream pointed at a spot in the distance. 

Wheeljack really had to look to see it. In the distance he saw a number of approaching bots, though they were too far to make out any details.  He saw five at first, but as he watched that number started growing.  “That can’t be our boys…too many,” he growled. 

“I agree…,” Ebonscream snarled.  “Go back ta camp, quickly,” he commanded.  “It may be innocent…or….” 

“Or it could be the Siren’s finally makin’ their move,” Wheeljack finished as he slid off the rock, landing in a crouch at it’s base. 

“I’ll watch a bit longer ta confirm,” Ebonscream called down to him. 

“Got it.  I’ll ask if our boys came back the other way as well, just in case.” 

“Good idea!” 

Wheeljack double timed it back to camp, not stopping until he found one of the other senior Wreckers.  Turned out to be Impactor. 

“What lit your aft on fire, Wheeljack?” he asked. 

“First…has Eclipse and Ricochet come back?” Wheeljack asked hurriedly. 

The senior Wrecker narrowed his optics.  “No, come to think of it,” he replied.  “They are late.” 

He as afraid of that.  “Yeah, well…we may have potential trouble approachin’,” Wheeljack informed him.  “We saw a number of bots headin’ our way from the east, too many to be our own.” 

“How many?” 

“I saw five at first, but that started increasing rapidly.  It was double that by the time I left to warn ya,” Wheeljack replied.  “Ebony’s watchin’ a bit longer to confirm.” 

“Consider it confirmed!”  Ebonscream announced skidding to a halt beside them.  “I counted at least twenty heading our way...and growin’.” 

“Sir!”  A bot named Landslide came running up to them.  “We spotted a large group heading our way from the west!” 

“Ah…they mean to cut us off,” Ebonscream chuckled before his expression turned dead serious.  “Get your partner and return here as fast as possible.” 

“Right, Sir,” Landslide acknowledged before running off. 

“Everyone! Rollcall, NOW!”  Impactor bellowed.  “If anyone is missing, we need to know!” 

“And anyone that doesn’t have a very good excuse for not complying will be used as a trainin’ dummy!”  Ebonscream called out right after. 

As fellow Wreckers scrambled about to confirm everyone was accounted for, Wheeljack, Impactor and Ebonscream exchanged knowing glances. 

Let them think they are trapped.  Let them think they are helpless.  After all, they had the homefield advantage. 

And things were not as they appeared.

**Author's Note:**

> Not happy with this one...too forever to get out....


End file.
